Population dynamics of some synanthropic fly species in different habitats in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia

The population dynamics of five synanthropic fly species, Chrysomyia rufifacies, Musca d. domestica, Muscina stabulans F., Sarcophaga haemorrohoidalis and Stomoxys calcitrans, were studied at three different habitats in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia. The chosen habitats were the slaughter house, the cattle market and the rubbish dumps. The number of flies caught per 20 sticky bands was taken monthly, for a whole year, as an index to the fly population at that habitat during that month. M. d. domestica was the most abundant fly species, it made up nearly 98%, 81%, and 75% of the total synanthropic fly population at the rubbish dumps, the cattle market and the slaughter house, respectively. It reached its maximum abundance in May and minimum occurrence in January. House flies were collected throughout the year and survived conditions seemed to be unsuitable for other species

study on phlebotomus species, the vectors of leishmaniasis in Gassim, Saudi Arabia

A total 935 adult sandflies were collected and identified from Buraydah, Gassim Region. Phlebotomus papatasi represented 79.6% of the total population, whereas P. sergenti represented 20.4% throughout two successive years [October 1990 - September 1992]. Apart from May, female sandflies outnumbered the males in both species. The seasonal incidence of both P. papatasi and P. sergenti seemed to be highly affected by climatic factors prevailed in the study area

Fungal growth inhibition in leishmania culture

A modified NNN medium consisted of a liquid phase and a solid phase, was prepared for Leishmania culture. The antifungal drug, Griseofulvin, was added to the culture to inhibit the fungal growth on Leishmania culture and gave better results than did Mycostatin Suspension

Observations on the swarming habits and aggregation of culicoides schultzei enderlein [Dipteera-Ceratopogonidae] in Egypt

Culicoides, like many other Nematocera, often gather in discrete "dancing swarms" [Harwood and James, 1979]. The phenomenon is common and perhaps occurs in very diverse sections of the genus Culicoides, but knowledge of its cause, formation and function is still incomplete, besides it is not clear whether all species make swarms or not. During the course of the present work in the field, large swarms and many aggregations of Culicoides schultzei were observed. It may be pointed out that no previous records seem to have been given on the swarming of this species. Aggregations among biting midges, Culicoides, have never been reported. The following study, though obviously incomplete and in some respects fragmentary, nevertheless leads to a number of interesting generalizations and conclusions